Shore power eyed to cut harbor air pollution

The maritime arm of the Department of Transportation is working with New Bedford Harbor officials to study the possibility of reducing air pollution by powering vessels that are in port with shore-generated electricity instead of diesel-powered generators.

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By BECKY W. EVANS

southcoasttoday.com

By BECKY W. EVANS

Posted Sep. 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM

By BECKY W. EVANS

Posted Sep. 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM

» Social News

The maritime arm of the Department of Transportation is working with New Bedford Harbor officials to study the possibility of reducing air pollution by powering vessels that are in port with shore-generated electricity instead of diesel-powered generators.

The agency's Maritime Administration announced this week that it will donate $150,000 toward a study that will assess whether fishing vessels, ferries, cargo ships, cruise ships and other vessels could shut off their engines and plug into an electrical power source at the dock. The goal is to lower toxic air pollutants that endanger public health and contribute to climate change, said Kristin Decas, executive director of the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission.

"It's tricky in terms of how you would service all the boats. ... This study would help us understand and assess how this would work in New Bedford," she said.

Joseph Byrne, associate administrator for environment and compliance with the Maritime Administration, called the funding "seed money" that would allow the agency to explore the effectiveness of shore-generated electricity in a smaller port.

"The port of New Bedford has been in touch with our office of environment for a couple of years," he said. "This is the first opportunity we as an agency have had to invest along with the port and its resources to try to do something to reduce air emissions from marine platforms."

Winning funding from the agency is a small victory in the city's quest to become the first "green port" in the Northeast, Ms. Decas said.

The port already has adopted a few projects and programs that aim to make the harbor area cleaner without jeopardizing maritime operations, she said. New Bedford was the first U.S. port to launch a recycling program for derelict fishing gear that is burned to produce energy, she said. Future plans for making the port more environmentally friendly include a waste-oil collection program, bilge oil transfer services, installation of solar trash cans, storm water management and the use of alternative fuels and diesel with lower sulfur content.

Abby Swaine, who works for the Environmental Protection Agency's New England office, has been collaborating with officials from New Bedford and other ports to reduce diesel emissions.

New Bedford has been "the first out of the blocks for New England ports in trying to develop an individual green port strategy," she said. "They've really seized every opportunity to educate themselves on how to be better neighbors and to find alternatives to traditional diesel-burning technology."

She cited Boston and Bridgeport, Conn., as other ports that are making investments in green technology and innovation.

According to the EPA, diesel exhaust produces particulate matter, sulfur oxides and other air pollutants that contribute to health problems, climate change and ground-level ozone or smog. The agency designates diesel exhaust as a likely human carcinogen. Particulate matter from diesel is associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease, while ozone is linked to lung damage and other respiratory effects as well as reduced productivity of outdoor workers.

The EPA is trying to cut down on diesel emissions by adopting stricter emissions standards for marine diesel engines. Some shipping lines are switching over to diesel with lower sulfur content, while other ports are striving to clean the air by adopting innovative technologies, Ms. Swaine said.

Powering ships with shore-generated electricity, known as cold ironing or shore power, is a concept that has taken off in Europe and is now being tested by a few large U.S. ports, she said. Power plants that supply shore-side electricity typically generate less air pollution than diesel ship engines because they face stricter standards. Ms. Swaine noted that some ports are looking into supplying electricity that is generated by wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.

The longer a ship remains in port, the more it makes sense to use shore power, she said. The concept could be a good fit for New Bedford's commercial fishing fleet and for mid-sized cruise ships that make overnight stops in the port, she said.

The major drawback of shore power is the cost, which is high and varies depending on the size and scope of the system, Ms. Swaine said.

However, Ms. Decas said the study will help determine how much it will cost New Bedford boat owners to plug into a shore power system. Given the high cost of marine diesel fuel, she said, she thinks shore power could bring cost savings.

Even though the EPA does not have an official "green port" designation, Ms. Decas said New Bedford will continue to work toward that goal.

"We want to be the first port to do that," she said. "It makes you look cutting edge, and it is also the right thing to do."